LOCATION SHAWAVE NVEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Xeric Haplargids
TYPICAL PEDON: Shawave gravelly sandy loam--rangeland. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) The soil surface is partially covered with 15 percent pebbles.
A1--0 to 4 inches; pale brown (10YR 6/3) gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak thin platy structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular and interstitial pores; 15 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); abrupt smooth boundary. (2 to 5 inches thick)
A2--4 to 8 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak thin platy; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine, few fine, and medium roots; common very fine tubular pores; 5 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (3 to 6 inches thick)
Bt1--8 to 10 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3) moist, with light gray (10YR 7/2) bleached sand grains on ped faces; weak medium prismatic structure; hard, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; common very fine roots; many very fine tubular pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 2 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
Bt2--10 to 16 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure; hard, firm, sticky and plastic; common very fine exped roots; common very fine and few fine tubular pores; many prominent clay films on faces of peds and lining pores; 1 percent pebbles; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); abrupt wavy boundary. (4 to 10 inches)
Btk--16 to 21 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; hard, firm, slightly sticky and plastic; common very fine and few fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; many faint clay films bridging sand grains; secondary carbonates segregated as few fine and medium filaments in a noneffervescent matrix; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 8 inches thick)
Bk--21 to 37 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) coarse sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; common very fine tubular pores; 40 percent hard, very friable 5 to 15 millimeter very weakly silica cemented nodules; secondary carbonates segregated as few fine filaments in a noneffervescent matrix; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear wavy boundary. (8 to 30 inches thick)
2C--37 to 47 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular pores; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
2Ck--47 to 62 inches; brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and few fine roots; secondary carbonates segregated as few fine filaments in a noneffervescent matrix; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2).
TYPE LOCATION: Pershing County, Nevada; about 10 miles east of Mt. Limbo; about 2,200 feet west and 1,950 feet north of the southeast corner of section 30, T. 28 N., R. 26 E.; USGS Juniper Pass 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle; 40 degrees 15 minutes 57 seconds north latitude and 119 degrees 06 minutes 20 seconds west longitude, NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture - Moist in winter and early spring; dry from June through November; aridic moisture regime that borders on xeric.
Mean annual soil temperature - 53 to 56 degrees F.
Ochric epipedon thickness - 5 to 11 inches.
Depth to horizons with identifiable secondary carbonates - 15 to 25 inches.
Depth to the base of argillic horizon - 15 to 30 inches.
Particle-size control section - Clay content: 18 to 25 percent; Medium and coarser sands content: 20 to 35 percent; Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, mainly pebbles. Lithology of fragments are granite or granodiorite.
A horizons - Value: 5 or 6 dry, 3 or 4 moist; when mixed, the upper 7 inches is 6 dry or 4 moist.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Bt and Btk horizons - Hue: 10YR or 7.5YR.
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist; most pedons include bleached areas with value of 7 dry in the upper subhorizon.
Chroma: 2 through 4, dry or moist.
Texture: Sandy loam, sandy clay loam, or loam.
Clay content: 18 to 25 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, mainly fine pebbles.
Structure: Subangular blocky or prismatic in the upper part and massive in the lower part.
Consistence: Slightly hard, hard or very hard dry and very friable, friable or firm moist.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Identifiable secondary carbonates: Occurs as few fine filaments in Btk horizons.
Effervescence: The matrix is typically noneffervescent but has strongly effervescent filaments of secondary carbonate.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 4 percent.
Salinity (EC): 0 to 2 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 5 to 13.
Bk horizons - Value: 5 through 7 dry, 4 or 5 moist.
Chroma: 3 through 6.
Texture: Sandy loam or coarse sandy loam.
Clay content: 4 to 10 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, mainly fine pebbles.
Consistence: Soft, slightly hard or hard dry and very friable or friable moist.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Identifiable secondary carbonates: Occurs as few fine filaments.
Effervescence: The matrix is typically noneffervescent but has strongly effervescent filaments of secondary carbonate.
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 0 to 4 percent.
Salinity (EC): 0 to 2 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 5 to 13.
Other features: Some pedons contain up to 50 percent very weakly silica-cemented nodules that are hard dry and very friable moist. These nodules are not cemented enough to be considered durinodes.
2C horizons (when present) - Value: 6 or 7 dry, 4 through 6 moist.
Chroma: 3 through 6, dry or moist.
Texture: Loamy coarse sand, coarse sand, or sand.
Clay content: 2 to 6 percent.
Rock fragments: 0 to 15 percent, mainly fine pebbles.
Structure: Horizon is massive or single grain.
Consistence: Loose, soft, or slightly hard dry; loose or very friable moist.
Reaction: Slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline.
Salinity (EC): 0 to 2 mmhos/cm.
Sodicity (SAR): 5 to 13.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Abgese, Ackley, Blacknest, Bluelight (T), Colbar, Eusbio (T), Greenbrae, Hardtrigger, Harsan, Hoosegow, Hoye, Lankbush, Morfitt, Nosser, Sidlake, Stiles, Turria, and Windypoint series.
Abgese soils have a mean annual soil temperature of 48 to 51 degrees F., have Bt horizons with 20 to 25 percent pebbles, and have C horizons with 30 to 60 percent pebbles. Ackley soils have mean annual soil temperature of 50 to 53 degrees F., neutral or slightly acid A and Bt horizons, and identifiable secondary carbonates at depths of 25 to 50 inches. Blacknest soils mean annual soil temperature of 49 to 51 degrees F., have 5 to 30 percent rock fragments, and have identifiable secondary carbonates at depths of 30 inches or more. Bluelight, Colbar, Nosser, and Sidlake soils are moderately deep to lithic contacts. Eusbio and Stiles soils are moderately deep to paralithic contacts. Greenbrae soils have mean annual soil temperature of 50 to 52 degrees F., have moderately acid or slightly acid reaction in the A horizons, and have slightly acid or neutral reaction in the Bt horizons. Hardtrigger soils have 25 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section, mean annual soil temperature of 48 to 53 degrees F., and effervescent matrices in the Btk and Bk horizons. Harsan soils have gravelly clay loam or clay loam 2Bk horizons within 22 to 36 inches and slightly acid or neutral A horizons. Hoosegow soils do not have identifiable secondary carbonates within 40 inches of the soil surface. Hoye soils have mean annual soil temperature of 47 to 52 degrees F. Lankbush soils do not have identifiable secondary carbonates and have depth to base of the argillic horizon of 30 to 50 inches. Morfitt soils have mean annual soil temperature of 48 to 53 degrees F., 27 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section, and depth to identifiable secondary carbonates of more than 40 inches. Turria soils have mean annual soil temperature of 51 to 53 degrees F., 25 to 35 percent clay in the particle-size control section, and less than 5 percent medium sand or coarser. Windypoint soils have mean annual soil temperature of 49 to 52 degrees F. and 25 to 30 percent clay in the particle-size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Shawave soils are on fan remnants, fan skirts, and mountain valley fans. These soils formed in alluvium derived mainly from granitic rock with a small component of loess and volcanic ash. Slopes are 2 to 30 percent. Elevations are 4,000 to 5,800 feet. The climate is semiarid with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers. The mean annual precipitation is 8 to 10 inches, mean annual temperature is 49 to 54 degrees F., and the frost-free period is 110 to 130 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Biga, Deadyon, Granshaw, Labkey and Slipback soils. Biga and Slipback soils have natric horizons. Deadyon and Granshaw soils are coarse-loamy. Labkey soils are sandy-skeletal.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; high or very high surface runoff; moderately slow permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Shawave soils are used for rangeland and wildlife habitat. The present vegetation is mainly Wyoming big sagebrush, spiny hopsage, and Sandberg's bluegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Nevada. These soils are moderately extensive. The series concept and main acreage is in MLRA 27, while other acreage occurs in MLRA 23.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Reno, Nevada.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Pershing County (West Part), Nevada, 1988.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon - The zone from the soil surface to 8 inches (A1 and A2 horizons).
Argillic horizon - The zone from 8 to 21 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Btk horizons).
Identifiable secondary carbonates - The zones from 16 to 37 inches (Btk and Bk horizons) and 47 to 62 inches (2Ck horizon).
Particle-size control section - The zone from 8 to 21 inches (Bt1, Bt2, and Btk horizons).